Original recipes and photos with a hearty measure of facts, family, inspiration and humor. Everything food. Some reviews of area restaurants, some whimsical prose for reading pleasure.

Saturday, December 29, 2012

Green Bean Casserole, Revisited

Looking for a fast and wonderful side dish popular around the board and fancied up on taste, then this recipe fits the bill. Instead of traditional green bean casserole, which has almost lost some of it's seemingly traditional and festive nostalgia, at least in my opinion and is usually either highly revered or religiously abhorred, try some variations you may enjoy!
The popularity of this dish is one of circumstance. In 1955, Campbell Soup Co. wanted to create a dish that was affordable and of on hand pantry ingredients, which included mushroom soup and canned green beans. After that, this dish has been a go-to especially during Thanksgiving and major holidays like Christmas.
For myself, using the can variety of cream of mushroom, adds an exorbitant level of sodium that can be avoided simply by making the cream of mushroom from scratch, following the basic premise of a bechamel after the mushrooms have been lightly sauteed and simmered in butter. Flour and milk soon follow and the thickened sauce is one to rival that of any Michelin starred restaurant or bistro. Fresh green beans are fabulous, making sure you remove the stringy and fibrous parts before blanching. These two simple steps will bring your green casserole back to the forefront and high in flavor, not sodium!! If time is of the essesence, try my version of a green bean saute, mimicking the flavor components and just a tad flashier than the oven baked version!Green Bean and Mushroom Saute w/ Red Miso and Garlic
1 lb. fresh green beans, stringy fibers removed and trimmed
4 oz. sliced button mushrooms
1 clove garlic, pressed or fnely minced
2 tbsp. butter
1 tsp. Red Miso
Splash Sherry
Splash seasoned rice vinegar
French fried onions for garnish
olive oil for drizzling
SPST
In a large saute pan over medium high heat, drizzle with olive oil and melt butter.
When tiny bubbles form, add mushrooms and saute for about 2 minutes or until fragrant. Add garlic and green beans and toss. Saute about 4 more minutes until green beans are tender crisp and stir in Miso.
Add sherry and vinegar to de-glaze pan and toss to coat.
SPST.
Garnish with french fried onions.
Serves 6 to 8.

The picture shown is of my original recipe Green Bean Saute w/ Red Miso and Garlic featured with another recipe called "Everything Gravy", posted in September. The revamped recipe is the same with the addition of sauteed mushrooms and french fried onions, creating the green bean casserole effect.